Page 18 of Deadly Avarice
“What’s the matter?” Captain Cicely asked as she walked by my desk. I had my head tilted back and was staring at the ceiling.
“Harvest Day,” I lamented. Scrubbing my hands over my face, I groaned.
“It’s a wonderful day,” Captain Cicely defended. “We’ll be down to skeleton staff tomorrow and rotating people through so everyone gets a chance to spend time with their loved ones and give thanks for all the blessings in our lives.”
I knew enough to realize Harvest Day wasn’t the most sacred Wiccan holiday, but it was right up there.
“No, I know. And I like Harvest Day. It’s just…” I was one of the people working tomorrow, but as Captain Cicely said, she was rotating us through so everyone got time off. I’d have more than enough opportunity to make it to Boone’s. Originally, we were supposed to go to Momma Boone’s house, but her stove was acting up and while nearly everything was being purchased pre-made, it did require reheating. Boone had offered up his house and oven. He’d even invited his neighbor, Calista Hart.
Mrs. Hart didn’t have any children, but she did have friends. Lots of friends, and already had plans. Erasmus offered to goover and let Miss Pattycakes out while Mrs. Hart was gone and she jumped all over that offer. I silently hoped Boone would ask his pops to go over and take care of the dog. Then again, Miss Pattycakes might not survive the encounter and I’d hate to do that to poor Mrs. Hart.
“You spending your time off with Boone?” Captain Cicely asked.
“Yeah, and if it was just him and his momma, then all would be well.”
Captain Cicely laughed, drawing Becks’s attention. She came sauntering over, a curious grin lighting her face.
“What’s up?” Becks asked.
Captain Cicely hooked a thumb my direction. “I’m not certain, but I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess Warlock Holland is coming to town.”
“Jesus, you make it sound like he’s Santa Clause,” Becks said. I shivered at the thought.
“No. I mean, yes, Holland is coming. Boone’s momma is picking him up at the airport today.”
“That sucks, man.” Becks walked over and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder while setting a folder down on my desk. “That’s what I could find on Leander Dun and his human mother, Roberta.” With a squeeze to my shoulder, Becks walked away while mumbling, “And I thought my in-laws were scary.”
“It’ll be fine,” Captain Cicely offered. “Boone loves you. It’s like surrounding you in a protective shield where Holland is concerned.”
I huffed while picturing the imagery. Scooting away from my desk, I peeked around Captain Cicely, making certain we were truly alone. Keeping my voice low, I said, “It’s not just Holland. Lydia Boone invited Aurelia too.”
Captain Cicely’s complexation turned instantly ashen. “The dj—”
“The one and only. That we know of. Hopefully,” I added.
“Gaia,” the captain wheezed. “I don’t even know what to say about that or even think. All I can say for sure is that I’m glad I’m not you. I don’t think I could sit in the same room, let alone share a meal with…”
Considering Captain Cicely was a witch and encompassed all things Aurelia hated, I thought the feeling was most likely mutual.
“Do you think she’ll show?” Captain Cicely asked.
I shrugged. “With Aurelia you never know. You also never know when she’s going to leave or what she’ll do.” I ran a hand over my chin as I remembered what Boone told me about her last visit. “Or who’ll she’ll bring.”
Captain Cicely’s eyebrow shot skyward. “I doubt it’s what you’re thinking. Aurelia’s current master is convinced having a pet to care for is good for her. From what I understand, currently, that pet is a hamster.”
With a slow blink, Captain Cicely stared into a far-off corner before she simply turned and walked away. I could relate. Sometimes, there simply were no words.
Pushing Harvest Day out of my thoughts, I reached for the file Becks left on my desk. Considering Leander should be in his late twenties, the file was sparse. Then again, I was used to looking into people who broke the law on the regular and had a larger digital presence. It didn’t appear that Leander fit that profile.
Skimming through the information didn’t take long. Leander Dun graduated from high school and went to a trade school for computer training. It looked like he earned his degree and then…nothing. It was like the man simply dropped off the face of the earth. As for his mother, Roberta, there was plenty more.The woman took to social media like a fish to water. But, just as we’d earlier surmised, there was absolutely no mention of her son, Leander. There were mentions of other children—three daughters and one other son. Their pictures peppered Roberta’s social media sites. The youngest was still in high school. It also looked like Roberta had married and her last name was now Trafalgar. Boone hadn’t told me that. I wasn’t sure if he was aware or if it simply slipped his mind. Finding Roberta’s marriage records wouldn’t have been difficult.
The last address listed for Leander was when he was going to trade school. He’d rented an apartment outside Montgomery, Alabama. I wasn’t certain if he was still in the area or not. It was going to take a little more digging to find out.
Closing the file, I tapped my pen on the edge and considered my options. Becks had already run down the Dun name. What about Trafalgar?
Wheeling closer to my desk, I woke up my sleeping computer and got busy. There was no one going by the name of Leander Trafalgar, so that was a bust. I checked the database for land or homes owned by Roberta or her husband, Davis Trafalgar and hit possible pay dirt. The Trafalgars owned three properties. One appeared to be their current residence; the second was a condo in Panama City, Florida; and the third was the odd one. Twenty-three acres of wooded property in West Central Alabama. The surrounding towns were sparse. A river ran through a portion of the property, and it abutted the edge of a lake. No structures were listed on the property, but twenty-three acres was a lot of land and state officials didn’t get out and monitor areas like they intended.
“You plan on spending the night?” Becks asked as she walked by. Becks had her computer shut down, her coat on, and her laptop stowed and across her shoulder before I could answer.
